Cup Holder

Abstract

A table edge cup holder; said cup holder comprising a cup holder portion and a handle portion; said handle portion formed to engage with an element of said table.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to beverage supports and, more particularly, to cup holders specifically adapted for use with a gaming table.

BACKGROUND

Gaming tables used in casinos and the like, typically are provided with a main playing surface at least partly surrounded by a raised peripheral border. The main surface is again typically of a felt or felt-like material susceptible to staining.

Apart from the risk of staining from spilt beverages, such spillages will of course be disruptive to the gaming activity so that it is undesirable to have beverage containers placed on the gaming surface and most gaming venues at least discourage or prohibit players from doing so.

Cup holders with added stability features, such as integral footpads are known which, while reducing the risk of spillage, still present obstructions on the gaming table.

It is an object of the present invention to address or at least ameliorate some of the above disadvantages.

Notes

The term “comprising” (and grammatical variations thereof) is used in this specification in the inclusive sense of “having” or “including”, and not in the exclusive sense of “consisting only of”.

The above discussion of the prior art in the Background of the invention, is not an admission that any information discussed therein is citable prior art or part of the common general knowledge of persons skilled in the art in any country.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Accordingly, in a first broad form of the invention, there is provided a table edge cup holder; said cup holder comprising a cup holder portion and a handle portion; said handle portion formed to engage with an element of said table.

Preferably, said table is a gaming table; said gaming table including a raised border around at least a portion of said gaming table.

Preferably, said raised border includes a rounded inner edge and a horizontal upper surface section extending between said rounded inner edge and an outer edge of said raised border.

Preferably, said cup holder portion comprises a generally cylindrical portion extending from an upper rim to a closed base portion.

Preferably, said handle portion includes a first support section extending from said upper rim to a second edge engaging portion.

Preferably, said handle portion includes a first horizontal section and a vertical section; said vertical section arranged so that a standard drink container inserted in said cup holder portion does not project above said raised border.

Preferably, said edge engaging portion is formed to engage with said rounded inner edge of said raised border.

Preferably, said first section of said handle portion comprises a planar element; an upper surface of said planar element coplanar with said upper rim of said cup holder portion.

Preferably, said planar section is of a width equal to an outer diameter of said generally cylindrical cup holder portion.

Preferably, said edge engaging portion is integral with said first support section; said edge engaging portion forming a half cylindrical element extending from said first support section such that a plane defined by long edges of said half cylindrical element is normal to said planar element.

Preferably, said planar element and said half cylindrical element are of even and equal thickness.

Preferably, length of said half cylindrical element is equal to said width of said planar element.

Preferably, said planar section is of a sufficient length to allow said cup holder to be placed on said raised border while said planar section is in a generally horizontal orientation.

Preferably, said upper surface of said planar element provides for application of indicia.

Preferably, said indicia is embossed or engraved on said upper surface.

In another broad form of the invention there is provided a method of providing a cup holder at an edge of a gaming table; said method including the steps of:

• • (a) providing a generally cylindrical cup holder with a handle portion including an edge engaging element;
  • (b) placing said handle portion of said cup holder on a horizontal portion of a peripheral raised border of said gaming table,
  • (c) moving said cup holder outwardly relative said raised border so as to engage said edge engaging element with an inner edge of said raised border.

Preferably, said handle portion is of a length to allow said handle portion to be placed on said raised border while said handle portion is in a generally horizontal orientation.

In still another broad form of the invention, there is provided a method of supporting a beverage container at an edge of a gaming table; said method including the steps of:

• • (a) providing a cup holder adapted for engagement with an inner edge element of a raised border of said gaming table,
  • (b) placing a handle portion of said cup holder in engagement with said raised border,
  • (c) locating said cup holder such that an edge engaging element of handle portion engages an inner edge of said raised border.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cup holder according to a preferred embodiment of the invention,

FIGS. 2 and 3 are views from above and the side respectively, of the cup holder of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a side view of the cup holder of FIGS. 1 to 3 located at the edge of a gaming table.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a cup holder according to a second preferred embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a cup holder according to a second preferred embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a side section view of the cup holder of FIGS. 5 and 6 in use.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

First Preferred Embodiment

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a cup holder 10 according to the invention is comprised of a cup holder portion 12 and a handle portion 14.

Cup holder portion 12 comprises a generally cylindrical element 16, extending from an upper rim 18 to a closed base 20.

Handle portion 14 extends outwardly from upper rim 18 and comprises a first, generally planar support section 22 and an edge engaging section 24. The upper surface 26 of the support section 22 is preferably coplanar with the plane defined by the rim 18 of the cup holder portion 12.

Also preferably, the width of the planar support section 22 is equal to the outer diameter of the generally cylindrical cup holder element 16.

The edge engaging section 24 of the handle portion 14 is in the form of a half cylinder 28, integral with the planar support section 22 and arranged so that a plane 30 defined by the long edges of the half cylinder 28 is normal to the surface 26 of the planar support section 22.

The planar support section 22 and the half cylinder 26 forming the edge engaging section 24 of the handle portion, are of even and equal thickness as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4.

As shown in FIG. 4, the border 36 of a gaming table 38 for which the cup holder of the invention is intended, includes a raised portion 34 with a rounded inner edge 40 and a horizontal upper surface section extending between the rounded inner edge 40 and an outer edge of said border 36.

Again as shown in FIG. 4, the length of the planar support section 22 of the handle portion 14 is preferably such that, the separation between the cup holder portion 16 and the edge 32 of the edge engaging section 24, allows the cup holder to be placed on the horizontal surface of the raised portion 34, while the planar support section 22 is held in a substantially horizontal orientation.

After being so placed, the cup holder 10 can be moved outwardly to the position shown in FIG. 4 where the edge engaging section 24 of the handle portion 14 is engaged with the rounded inner edge 40 of the raised border 34.

In an alternative preferred form indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 4, the length of the planar portion is just sufficient to allow the edge engaging section 24 to be hooked over the edge 40. In this case the cup holder is held at an angle to engage the edge 40 and then lowered into its level position.

The upper surface 26 of the planar support section 22 is particularly suited to accept indicia as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, representative either of the venue in which the cup holders of the invention are provided, or of other advertising. Such indicia may for example be engraved into the surface as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or embossed for example.

Second Preferred Embodiment

With reference now to FIGS. 5 to 7 in which similar features are numbered as for the first embodiment above but with the addition of one hundred, a cup holder 110 is similarly comprised of a handle portion 114 and a cylindrical element 116.

In this embodiment also a planar support section 122 is equal to the outer diameter of the generally cylindrical cup holder element 116, and is provided with an identical half cylindrical element 126 forming the edge engaging section 24 of the handle portion.

In this embodiment however, the handle portion 114 is comprised of a first horizontal section 126a and a vertical section 126b so that in use, as shown in FIG. 7, the cup holder portion 116 is located below the level of the raised portion 134 of the border 136 of a gaming table 138. Preferably the length of the vertical section 126b is such that a standard drink can inserted into the cup holder portion 134 does not project above the raised portion 134, thereby reducing the risk of dislodgement.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The configuration of the cup holders 10/110 of the present invention provides for a secure means of supporting a beverage at a border of a gaming table. The width of the handle portion 14/114 and the shape of the edge retaining portion are such that the cup holder and an inserted beverage container are safely and conveniently to hand to a player at the gaming table.

The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A table edge cup holder; said cup holder comprising a cup holder portion and a handle portion; said handle portion formed to engage with an element of said table.

2. The cup holder of claim 1 wherein said table is a gaming table; said gaming table including a raised border around at least a portion of said gaming table.

3. The cup holder of claim 1 wherein said raised border includes a rounded inner edge and a horizontal upper surface section extending between said rounded inner edge and an outer edge of said raised border.

4. The cup holder of claim 1 wherein said cup holder portion comprises a generally cylindrical portion extending from an upper rim to a closed base portion.

5. The cup holder of claim 4 wherein said handle portion includes a first support section extending from said upper rim to a second edge engaging portion.

6. The cup holder of claim 4 wherein said handle portion includes a first horizontal section and a vertical section; said vertical section arranged so that a standard drink container inserted in said cup holder portion does not project above said raised border.

7. The cup holder of claim 5 wherein said edge engaging portion is formed to engage with said rounded inner edge of said raised border.

8. The cup holder of claim 5 wherein said first section of said handle portion comprises a planar element; an upper surface of said planar element coplanar with said upper rim of said cup holder portion.

9. The cup holder of claim 8 wherein said planar section is of a width equal to an outer diameter of said generally cylindrical cup holder portion.

10. The cup holder of claim 5 wherein said edge engaging portion is integral with said first support section; said edge engaging portion forming a half cylindrical element extending from said first support section such that a plane defined by long edges of said half cylindrical element is normal to said planar element.

11. The cup holder of claim 10 wherein said planar element and said half cylindrical element are of even and equal thickness.

12. The cup holder of claim 10 wherein length of said half cylindrical element is equal to said width of said planar element.

13. The cup holder of claim 8 wherein said planar section is of a sufficient length to allow said cup holder to be placed on said raised border while said planar section is in a generally horizontal orientation.

14. The cup holder of claim 8 wherein said upper surface of said planar element provides for application of indicia.

15. The cup holder of claim 14 wherein said indicia is embossed or engraved on said upper surface.

16. A method of providing a cup holder at an edge of a gaming table; said method including the steps of:

(a) providing a generally cylindrical cup holder with a handle portion including an edge engaging element;

(b) placing said handle portion of said cup holder on a horizontal portion of a peripheral raised border of said gaming table,

(c) moving said cup holder outwardly relative said raised border so as to engage said edge engaging element with an inner edge of said raised border.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said handle portion is of a length to allow said handle portion to be placed on said raised border while said handle portion is in a generally horizontal orientation.

18. A method of supporting a beverage container at an edge of a gaming table; said method including the steps of:

(a) providing a cup holder adapted for engagement with an inner edge element of a raised border of said gaming table,

(b) placing a handle portion of said cup holder in engagement with said raised border,

(c) locating said cup holder such that an edge engaging element of handle portion engages an inner edge of said raised border.